{"id":7345,"date":"2014-11-11T09:09:34","date_gmt":"2014-11-11T08:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/?p=7345\/"},"modified":"2017-01-20T22:40:42","modified_gmt":"2017-01-20T22:40:42","slug":"you-dont-have-to-be-a-film-student-to-make-documentaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/you-dont-have-to-be-a-film-student-to-make-documentaries\/","title":{"rendered":"You don\u00b4t have to be a film student to make documentaries"},"content":{"rendered":"

He made the leap from history at the University of Copenhagen to being a successful documentary filmmaker. And he says that other students can too. <\/p>\n

This year Christoffer Emil Bruun is on the 2014 CPH:DOX F:ACT Award jury. It will hand out a prize to a film which blurs the boundaries of documentary filmmaking and investigative journalism.<\/p>\n

\u201cFilmmaking has become much easier because of technological opportunities, and this means that you don\u2019t need to go to the Danish Film School to make a documentary film, you can easily be an academic, an anthropologist, a historian, a student, a biologist, and so on, and create, or be part of the creation of, a documentary film,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

Needed more theory<\/h2>\n

Currently working as a journalist, Bruun highlights the many opportunities students and other amateur filmmakers have to get involved in the film industry.<\/p>\n

Bruun started out at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR), working in both radio and television for 10 years, before turning to academic study to attain a theoretical foundation. He began studying literature at the Open University, and later earned a Master of Arts in History from The University of Copenhagen. <\/p>\n

\u201cI found that I needed some more theory, some more knowledge, I wanted to have my own field, so I started to study history at UCPH, to have a common basis,\u201d says Bruun.<\/p>\n

The Affair in Prague<\/h2>\n

Bruun\u2019s historical studies lead to the creation of his first feature film, dealing with surveillance in Eastern Europe during the Cold War period. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was very interested in that field, and I was interested also in the people that here, in Denmark and Western Europe, had contacts with the dissidents in Eastern Europe. I succeeded in finding a file in an archive in Prague, regarding a Danish journalist, intellectual and writer called Niels Barfoed, who had been in the Czech Republic \u2013 Czechoslovakia at that time \u2013 to support some of the movements down there, including Charter 77 with V\u00e1clav Havel,\u201d says Bruun. <\/p>\n

Bruun\u2019s documentary film, \u2018The Affair in Prague,\u2019 premiered at CPH:DOX in 2009, in collaboration with the Danish Film Institute under the program \u2018New Danish Screen.\u2019 <\/p>\n

The step from journalistic media to documentary film was, in fact, not a huge one at all, Bruun says. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt just happened along the way. The documentary environment is full of good people, you have great peers. I had wanted, since the end of high school, to be a journalist and to work with media, so along the way, to produce a documentary was a goal, and it was achieved,\u201d Bruun explains. <\/p>\n

Technologies make filmmaking possible<\/h2>\n

Opportunities for amateur filmmakers are proliferating, as technology and filmic insight become more easily accessible. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe technology is so available, I think it\u2019s not scary at all, and people should definitely not be scared about it. Film and media might seem like worlds which are difficult to approach, but that is not the case at all,\u201d Bruun asserts. <\/p>\n

However funding can be a little more difficult, Bruun concedes. \u201cIt is a competition, but if you really want it I am sure that it is possible. We have a good system and film institute here in Denmark, and we have good talent, and care for talent, so it\u2019s definitely possible.\u201d <\/p>\n

Be original <\/h2>\n

One resource that student filmmakers can access is the CPH:DOX three-day workshop focusing on investigative journalism and contemporary documentary film-making. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe program that they are running is called the F:ACT Academy, a course for people who want to get into making documentaries. It\u2019s a very interesting and good project,\u201d says Bruun. <\/p>\n

And the most important thing to keep in mind when pursuing the dream of documentary film?<\/em> <\/p>\n

\u201cAs anywhere in the media world, the original story, the good original idea, that is what counts. If you have a good idea you can hook up with people in the production environment that can help you and can take care of the whole technical side. There are a lot of people out there who can help you,\u201d Bruun says. <\/p>\n

Insider\u2019s pick<\/h2>\n

Bruun is excited about the calibre of films included in this year\u2019s festival. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many interesting films, so just take the catalogue and explore. Use the opportunity to see as many films as possible; stories that you didn\u2019t even know existed. There are a lot of opportunities to see something really great,\u201d says Bruun.<\/p>\n

He suggests that students check out some of the festival\u2019s historical film pieces, including \u20181989\u2019 by Anders \u00d8stergaard, which, using a unique technical approach, reflects history in a new and interesting way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would also suggest the film by Josh Oppenheimer, \u2018The Look of Silence.\u2019 In 2012 he premiered one film about genocide in Indonesia, and now he\u2019s made the number two. The first one he made was extremely interesting, and I\u2019m sure this one will also be worth seeing,\u201d says Bruun. <\/p>\n

CPH:DOX wraps up this Sunday, but be sure to check it out <\/a> before then. <\/p>\n

universitypost@adm.ku.dk<\/p>\n

Like us on Facebook <\/a> for features, guides and tips on upcoming events. Follow us on Twitter<\/a> for links to other Copenhagen academia news stories. Sign up for the University Post weekly newsletter here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you think it is hard to become a filmmaker? 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It is possible for anyone, says established documentarist and UCPH graduate at CPH:DOX","use_post_excerpt":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Byline","is_author":false,"contributors":[{"use_registered_user":false,"user":false,"contributor_name":"Rachel Vaden Allison","contributor_title":" ","contributor_image":false}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>He made the leap from history at the University of Copenhagen to being a successful documentary filmmaker. And he says that other students can too. <\/p>\n<p>This year Christoffer Emil Bruun is on the 2014 CPH:DOX F:ACT Award jury. It will hand out a prize to a film which blurs the boundaries of documentary filmmaking and investigative journalism.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFilmmaking has become much easier because of technological opportunities, and this means that you don\u2019t need to go to the Danish Film School to make a documentary film, you can easily be an academic, an anthropologist, a historian, a student, a biologist, and so on, and create, or be part of the creation of, a documentary film,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<h2>Needed more theory<\/h2>\n<p>Currently working as a journalist, Bruun highlights the many opportunities students and other amateur filmmakers have to get involved in the film industry.<\/p>\n<p>Bruun started out at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR), working in both radio and television for 10 years, before turning to academic study to attain a theoretical foundation. He began studying literature at the Open University, and later earned a Master of Arts in History from The University of Copenhagen. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI found that I needed some more theory, some more knowledge, I wanted to have my own field, so I started to study history at UCPH, to have a common basis,\u201d says Bruun.<\/p>\n<h2>The Affair in Prague<\/h2>\n<p>Bruun\u2019s historical studies lead to the creation of his first feature film, dealing with surveillance in Eastern Europe during the Cold War period. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was very interested in that field, and I was interested also in the people that here, in Denmark and Western Europe, had contacts with the dissidents in Eastern Europe. I succeeded in finding a file in an archive in Prague, regarding a Danish journalist, intellectual and writer called Niels Barfoed, who had been in the Czech Republic \u2013 Czechoslovakia at that time \u2013 to support some of the movements down there, including Charter 77 with V\u00e1clav Havel,\u201d says Bruun. <\/p>\n<p>Bruun\u2019s documentary film, \u2018The Affair in Prague,\u2019 premiered at CPH:DOX in 2009, in collaboration with the Danish Film Institute under the program \u2018New Danish Screen.\u2019 <\/p>\n<p>The step from journalistic media to documentary film was, in fact, not a huge one at all, Bruun says. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt just happened along the way. The documentary environment is full of good people, you have great peers. I had wanted, since the end of high school, to be a journalist and to work with media, so along the way, to produce a documentary was a goal, and it was achieved,\u201d Bruun explains. <\/p>\n<h2>Technologies make filmmaking possible<\/h2>\n<p>Opportunities for amateur filmmakers are proliferating, as technology and filmic insight become more easily accessible. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe technology is so available, I think it\u2019s not scary at all, and people should definitely not be scared about it. Film and media might seem like worlds which are difficult to approach, but that is not the case at all,\u201d Bruun asserts. <\/p>\n<p>However funding can be a little more difficult, Bruun concedes. \u201cIt is a competition, but if you really want it I am sure that it is possible. We have a good system and film institute here in Denmark, and we have good talent, and care for talent, so it\u2019s definitely possible.\u201d <\/p>\n<h2> Be original <\/h2>\n<p>One resource that student filmmakers can access is the CPH:DOX three-day workshop focusing on investigative journalism and contemporary documentary film-making. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe program that they are running is called the F:ACT Academy, a course for people who want to get into making documentaries. It\u2019s a very interesting and good project,\u201d says Bruun. <\/p>\n<p><em>And the most important thing to keep in mind when pursuing the dream of documentary film?<\/em> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs anywhere in the media world, the original story, the good original idea, that is what counts. If you have a good idea you can hook up with people in the production environment that can help you and can take care of the whole technical side. There are a lot of people out there who can help you,\u201d Bruun says. <\/p>\n<h2>Insider\u2019s pick<\/h2>\n<p>Bruun is excited about the calibre of films included in this year\u2019s festival. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are so many interesting films, so just take the catalogue and explore. Use the opportunity to see as many films as possible; stories that you didn\u2019t even know existed. There are a lot of opportunities to see something really great,\u201d says Bruun.<\/p>\n<p>He suggests that students check out some of the festival\u2019s historical film pieces, including \u20181989\u2019 by Anders \u00d8stergaard, which, using a unique technical approach, reflects history in a new and interesting way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would also suggest the film by Josh Oppenheimer, \u2018The Look of Silence.\u2019 In 2012 he premiered one film about genocide in Indonesia, and now he\u2019s made the number two. The first one he made was extremely interesting, and I\u2019m sure this one will also be worth seeing,\u201d says Bruun. <\/p>\n<p>CPH:DOX wraps up this Sunday, but be sure to <a href=\"http:\/\/cphdox.dk\" target=\"_blank\"> check it out <\/a> before then. <\/p>\n<p>universitypost@adm.ku.dk<\/p>\n<p><em>Like us on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UniversityPost\" target=\"_blank\"> Facebook <\/a> for features, guides and tips on upcoming events. Follow us on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UniversityPost\" target=\"_blank\"> Twitter<\/a> for links to other Copenhagen academia news stories. <a href=\"http:\/\/universitypost.dk\/newsletter\" target=\"_blank\">Sign up for the University Post weekly newsletter here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"ArticleEnd"},{"acf_fc_layout":"OtherStories","headline":"","hand_picked_posts":false,"references":false,"category":false,"theme":false,"number_of_posts":"4","style":"default"}]},"taxonomyData":{"category":[{"term_id":43,"name":"Culture","slug":"culture","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":43,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":562,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[],"post_format":[],"expression":[{"term_id":15,"name":"News Article","slug":"news_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":15,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":11492,"filter":"raw"}],"translation_priority":[]},"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/christoffer_emil_bruun-1280x853.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7345","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7345"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7345\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32938,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7345\/revisions\/32938"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}